Vacuum cleaning-machine.



J. B. KIRBY.

VACUUM CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLlcATIoN FILED N0v.1. 1912. RENEWED JUNE 24.1915.

19209,?18. Patented Dee. 26, 1916.

JAMES B. KIRBY, F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VACUUM CLEANING-MACHINE.

Original application led March 30, 1912, Serial No. 687,510. Divided and this application led November Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed nee. ae, raie.

1, 1912, Serial No. 728,994. Renewed June 24, 1915. Serial N o. 36,153.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES B. KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glevelang, in the county of Cuyahoga' and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Cleaning-Machines, lof which the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in vacuum cleaningl machines, and isa division of my application, Ser. No. 687,510, filed March 30, 1912.

The invention consists in the supporting means for the machine and parts operatively associated therewith, all substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross section of the machine disclosing particularly the means for carrying the machine upon the Hoor, and Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the machine.l

Respeeting the said parent application, it is to be understood that the cleaning mechanism as \such and a portion of which is shown herein, is the subject matter of the said application, While the observation window and parts associatedl therewith is the subject matter Vof a divisional applicationy concurrent herewith and bearing Ser. No. 728,993. The present invention therefore is limited particularly to the means for supporting the machine upon the floor and the parts dependent thereon for their operation,

as hereinafter fully described.

The body of the machine as a whole is indicated by b, and the carrying means comprise a swivel caster c at the rear of the machine beneath the neck n through which the machine discharges into the dust bag g and two rollers or wheels d supported on a crank shaft .or axle a located somewhat forward of the immediate centervof gravity as shown more particularly in Fig. 1. The said shaft or axle is provided with bearings comprising lugs 2 integral with the bottom of the casing in this instance and adapted to be bent over or onto the said axle to confine the sainev and to provide for rotation thereof more or less according to the elevation at which the machine is to be run at any time. A rather refined adjustment of the said shaft is found desirable so as to graduate the level of the vacuum shoe 3 and fix its working position y with .respect to the surface over which the machlne travels and thus make it as effective as possible in gathering up the dust. In some instances it is found best to rest the entire weight of the shoe down upon the surface and in other instances a somewhat raised position is desirable, the character of the carpet or rug or other surface over which the machine passes being the determining factor as to elevation. In any event, however, the suction through the shoe is dependent on4 vacuum producing means, and in this instance I employ a fan f driven by an electric motor m and which occupies a chamber directly'above said shoe and serves to draw away the dust. The suction usually is strong, so that is raises an ordinary carpet, and this is to be taken into consideration in the adjustment or elevation of the said wheels in order to get the best results. In the present construction adjustment is effected by means of an arm 4 rigid with the said axle between its bearings or at about the middle thereof and provided with a set screw 5 at its free end by which adjustment is made against the bottom of body b. Obviously Vthe said adjustment is operatively related to the shoe" and to the means therein adapted to make the shoe effectivel in its work as a dust removing medium, and the said adjustment therefore Oaffects the action of the's'hoe and its contained and coperating means, whatever they may be. In this instance they consist of a series of beaters 8 rotatably mounted in the shoe and spaced apart by bearing rings 9.

What I claim is: l

The` combination with the suction shoe of a vacuumcleaner, of a floor engaging support carried thereby at a distance from the inletmouth, a crank shaft journaled to said shoe upon a transverse axis between said support and inlet mouth, wheels journaled upon 1 In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature said crank shaft, one on each side of the cenin presence of two witnesses. ter line of the shoe, an arm projecting from said shaft, and means for securing said arm JAMES B. KIRBY.

5 at a plurality of adjusted positions whereby Witneses:

the height of said inlet mouth can be regu- E. M. FISHER,

lated. F. C. MUssUN. 

